"The suspension will be without pay and is effective immediately," Turness wrote. "We let Brian know of our decision earlier today. Lester Holt will continue to substitute Anchor the NBC Nightly News."

The announcement follows a morning meeting between Williams and the CEO of NBCUniversal, Steve Burke, at Burke's apartment.

Burke said in a statement on Tuesday night, "By his actions, Brian has jeopardized the trust millions of Americans place in NBC News. His actions are inexcusable and this suspension is severe and appropriate."

Well, I guess Williams has learned an important lesson: when you're tasked with delivering news to a large segment of the American population...don't lie to them.